Last Updated: 28/01/2026
When Do Puppies Stop Growing: A Guide to Growth Milestones
Ever wonder when your tiny ball of fluff will reach its full size? Our guide covers puppy growth milestones for all breed sizes, the importance of growth plate closure, and how to use nutrition and safe exercise to ensure a healthy adult life.
Author: Dr Maree Monaghan BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 8 minutes - short read
Watching a puppy grow is one of the most rewarding parts of being a pet parent, though it often feels like they double in size the moment you blink! While small breeds might reach their full height before their first birthday, giant breeds can continue to fill out until they are two years old. Understanding these developmental stages is about more than just buying a bigger bed; it’s about providing the right nutritional and physical support to protect their developing joints and bones. This guide explores the puppy growth timeline and how to set your newest family member up for a lifetime of health and zoomies.
The puppy growth timeline
There are generally considered to be five main stages of development in a dog's early life:
The Neonatal Stage (Birth to 2 weeks)
- Puppies are totally reliant on their mother for food and warmth
- Their weight usually doubles during this period
The Transitional Stage (2-4 weeks)
- Puppies' eyes and ears open
- They begin to walk
- Nutritional requirement for muscle and bone growth increases
- They need more than mother's milk to continue developing so this is the stage when they start eating solid food
The Socialisation Stage (4-12 weeks)
- Puppies are weaned from their mother and separated from their litter mates
- They meet new people and animals and settle into a new home
- This is a vital stage for shaping puppies' future behaviour through positive reinforcement training and socialisation
- Careful attention needs to be paid to puppies' nutritional needs to ensure correct bone and muscle growth and healthy development of the digestive tract, nervous system and skin and coat
The Juvenile Stage (3-6 months)
- Growth of small breed pups slows down: it is important to adjust their food intake to ensure they do not become overweight
- Large breeds will continue to grow more steadily and still need approximately double the nutritional requirements of an adult dog of the same breed
- Focusing on establishing routines and setting boundaries is of prime importance for juvenile pups.
Read through our guides to How to Train a Puppy and Addressing Puppy Behaviour Problems for more information.
The Adolescent Stage (6-18 months)
- Smaller breed puppies have usually finished growing
- Large puppies will continue to experience skeletal and muscular growth until they reach their adult bodyweight between 18 and 24 months of age
- Just like human teenagers, adolescent puppies will start to test the boundaries
- They require patience, consistency and engaging activities to help manage their boundless energy
Understanding puppy nutrition for healthy development
Growing puppies have different nutrient demands in comparison to when they are adult dogs. They need a higher amounts of energy to ensure they achieve an optimal growth rate while still maintaining a lean body condition.
Large and giant breed pups should be fed a diet specifically formulated for large and giant breeds as these will contain less energy than diets formulated for miniature, small and medium breed puppies.
Energy in puppy diets comes from the calories contained in fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Fats: also provide essential fatty acids which promote skin and coat health, reduce inflammation and encourage healthy development of the eyes and nervous system. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble and so fat in the diet is required for their absorption and storage.
Carbohydrates: are not an essential nutrient for pups, however, grains, fruit and vegetables provide valuable sources of which spare the use of protein for energy and also fibres which are essential for good digestive health.
Protein: Puppies need the highest amounts of protein in their diets after they are weaned and their protein requirements steadily decrease from this stage. Although protein is required for muscle growth, feeding more than the recommended daily requirement of protein will not make your puppy grow bigger muscles.
Calcium: It is common knowledge that puppies need calcium to grow their bones, however an excess of calcium in the diet, particularly in conjunction with low levels of phosphorus, will result in abnormal bone growth.
It is very important not to add calcium supplements to complete and balanced puppy and all life stages diets as this will lead to an imbalance in the calcium:phosphorus ratio in the body. Incorrect levels of calcium, phosphorus and also Vitamin D in a puppy's diet can lead to problems like rickets and stress fractures
For more information on feeding your puppy, take a look at:
Monitoring your puppy's growth and skeletal health
Skeletal Growth and Growth Plates
The size of a dog's skeleton is similar to the frame of a house in that it determines what size the dog will be when it is fully grown.
Bone growth
- The bones of small puppies stop growing around 6 months of age
- The bones of giant breed pups can still be growing up to 24 months of age
- Big bones and joints take a long time to develop and this is why large and giant breeds are often not fully grown until they are two years old
- Generally, most bone growth takes place between the ages of 4 to 8 months and, after this age, there is very little increase in the length of bones
Puppy growth plates
- Bone growth occurs in distinct areas of the bones which are called "growth plates"
- In long bones like the thigh bone, there is one growth plate at each end which allows the bone to lengthen as a puppy grows
- These growth plates are made from cartilage which is soft and flexible and thus prone to injury from trauma or overexercise
- Growth plates harden over time due to calcification - this is often called "growth plate closure"
- Once a growth plate has "closed", the bone can no longer grow
- In most breed, growth plates close around 12 months of age, however, the growth plates of large and giant breeds may stay open for longer
Assessing Growth Rate
The size of an adult dog is largely determined by the genes it has inherited from its mum and dad and feeding puppies to achieve a controlled growth rate will not affect their final adult body size.
Overfeeding puppies and making them grow too quickly can lead to orthopaedic issues like hip dysplasia and arthritis later in life.
Assessing your puppy's body condition score on a regular basis will help you determine if they are growing at the correct rate. These are the points to look for in a healthy pup:
- Ribs able to be felt without an excess fat covering
- Waist present behind the ribs when viewed from above
- Abdominal "tuck" present behind the ribs when viewed from the side
- Importance of regular veterinary check-ups during the growth phase
Safe exercise practices for growing puppies
How do you burn up your puppy's seemingly boundless energy while still protecting their growing bones and joints?
Very young puppies
- Multiple short play sessions interspersed with puppy naps
- This approach will allow them to exercise their minds and bodies without becoming overtired
- This is also a good time to start teaching your puppy to walk on a lead at home
Fully vaccinated puppies
- When your puppy has finished their course of vaccinations and is confident walking on a lead, you can start to venture outside
- A good rule of thumb is to walk a puppy for five minutes for every month of their age. For example, you can walk a 6 month old puppy for 30 minutes once or twice daily.
Large breed puppies
- These puppies have a higher risk of developing joint problems when they are older
- Low impact exercise such as swimming, walking in water, and walking is a great way to promote muscle and bone growth while safeguarding cartilage and ligaments
- Small amounts of jumping and fast running is acceptable, but it shouldn't be your puppy's main form of exercise
- It is best to limit these high-impact activities until your puppy is at least 12 months of age
- Home activities that encourage healthy activity include toys that stimulate them mentally and physically, such as puzzle toys, tug of war, and hide and seek
For more information, read our article all about How Much Exercise Dogs Need.
Why veterinary check-ups matter during growth
Vaccination schedules for puppies can vary but generally puppies have a course of 3 vaccinations given 4 weeks apart. The following schedule tends to be the most common:
- 6-8 weeks: C3 Vaccination
- 12 weeks: C5 Vaccination
- 16 weeks: C5 Vaccination
These regular vet visits during a puppy's formative weeks are crucial for monitoring their general health and well being as well as identifying any issues before they become more serious. Your vet will monitor your puppy's growth and development and check for common problems such as dental abnormalities, parasites and orthopaedic problems such as hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia.
FAQs
Navigating the puppy growth phase is a journey of rapid changes and exciting milestones. By tailoring your pup's nutrition, exercise, and veterinary care to their specific breed size and developmental stage, you are building a vital foundation for their future. Remember, every puppy grows at their own pace, so focus on maintaining a lean body condition and protecting those precious growing joints. Before you know it, your puppy will be a sturdy adult, ready for a lifetime of adventures by your side.
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Thu 29 Jan 2026
Edited by Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)Dr Maree Monaghan BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian
Dr. Maree graduated from the University of Queensland in 1990 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and has worked in a wide variety of practices around Australia and in Papua New Guinea. She has cared for all creatures great and small and has a particular interest in senior pets and horse nutrition
